NYMF Spotlight 2018

It’s once again time for the New York Musical Festival. NYMF’s goal is to support the development of new and diverse works of musical theatre. We asked a mix of artists involved—from performers to directors to writers to designers—to answer some questions about their shows and what inspires them. The shows they’re a part of represent a range of styles and subject matters, and are all at different stages of development.

The following questions were answered via e-mail. Participants were asked to participate in a photoshoot subject to availability.

What do you hope audiences take away from your show?
When I was a kid I saw a touring school play called Remember or Repeat that was all about how history will repeat if we don’t learn from our past mistakes and choose new paths. I hope our audience leaves wanting to know more about the 1968 Democratic Convention and the lessons we might be able to learn from the mistakes the DNC made during that convention (and a much more recent one) so that we can choose differently in 2020.

What’s something you think can be done to get different audiences to engage with theatre or get audiences to engage differently?
There’s got to be a way to normalize the theatre-going experience. How often do we see “regular” middle-class, lower middle-class, and working class folks going to the theatre in TV shows and movies? It’s largely something that more affluent white people do on the TV. And how often is it portrayed positively? The couple is usually fighting as the lights go down; maybe the husband got dragged along. Let’s see more positive normalization of theatre! We’re undergoing an epidemic of disengagement largely due to social medial and technological addiction, and theatre is a wonderful antidote to both. You have to be in the space with other people, and you have to put your phone away and be present. We all need more of that.

What do you hope audiences take away from your show?
I hope they take away a dire need for humanity. We have lived, and still live, in a world of self survival, where it’s all about “me” and all about “now.” The majority of our population are unconcerned with any issues that don’t involve them, and even are unconcerned with just being an understanding human being. We have a great need for both having and teaching the importance of benevolence, compassion, humaneness, and kindness to our future generations so we are not doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past. That is what my character’s story is all about.

Beyond being located in America, what does the term “American theatre” mean to you?
“American theatre” means dealing with American issues and things relevant to our culture specifically. As a Black Woman in America my experience is unlike any other. It’s not going to be the same experience anywhere else in the world and it may not mean the same thing anywhere else in the world. So in dealing with representing that in American theatre I find it extremely important to do it effectively and accurately, so I’m excited to be a part of it.

What’s something that you think would make it easier for you to pursue your creative goals in the way you want to pursue them?
Making a living with an adequate work/life balance as an artist is a challenging endeavor. I’m inspired so much by the world we live in—museums, music, nature, food—but taking the time to stop and enjoy it can feel like squandered time when money or hustling for the next gig is on the line. Diversity and gender parity in all aspects of production and producing elements are so important because getting a seat at the table is the first step in pursuing success and quality of life as a designer.

Tell us about an artist who has had a major impact on your work.
Interior designer and fashion iconIris Apfel! Her sense of whimsy is unparalleled and I think there’s a bit of discovery and joy to her work. She incorporates a strong sense of her own personality in her work as well as sophisticated global flavors. As a costume and scenic designer I love pattern and texture and big bold colors all working together in harmony, which are hallmarks of her work. I am very inspired by her ability to go by what feels interesting or unexpectedly harmonious on a project, rather than following a conventional set of rules.

What do you hope audiences take away from your show?
I’m really hoping that audiences will take away an understanding for what men and women went through during WWII. Many times I find that people don’t realize how heart-wrenching this time in our history was. Through the course of the show we see many different struggles: PTSD, loneliness, loss of friends and family, and men and women simply trying to do their part for their country. For any show, the goal is to make an impact, and I have no doubt the pain and love that run through the veins of this show will do just that.

Tell us about an artist who has had a major impact on your work.
So many people have had major impacts on my work, so it truly is impossible to choose just one. For starters, I have to say Sutton Foster. I mean, c’mon. It’s no secret she is practically a goddess. Every time she gets on the stage she owns it, and it’s as simple as that. I admire her on and off stage, and I try my best to translate the same attitude in my performances. Though maybe not considered “artists,” I would not feel right about answering this question without mentioning my teachers. They have helped mold me into the performer I am today, and they truly hold the most impact. My high school music teachers and every single one of my instructors at the Jeanine Dobbins Conservatory of Theatre and Dance are the reason I am able to do what I do. Finally, all the women in this cast are strong, powerful, amazing women that have impacted me tremendously. They each make me a better performer, and I’m so honored to work with them.

Tell us about an artist who has had a major impact on your work.
Kristin Chenoweth is an idol of mine. She’s petite like me (the same size, actually!) but her voice and presence are larger than life. I’ve been the same height since I was 12. Growing up, knowing that there was someone successful out there who was my size, especially someone who made it on Broadway, inspired me and gave me a huge boost of confidence. To this day, it helps me ignore those offhand, brainless remarks people make when they meet me and immediately comment on my physical stature. Kristin is small but womanly, cute but sophisticated. Kristin’s versatility gave me hope that my own career, despite my height, could be as varied and successful as hers.

What about this development process have you found the most useful or the most interesting?
I’m an adult, but my character Emily is 9 years old, so I’ve been studying children’s behavior—their impulsiveness, their lack of a filter, and how they don’t think before they speak. It is hard for them to negotiate, make decisions, and express their emotions. They usually turn to adults for help. In this story, when someone as young as Emily finds herself alone in strange and dangerous situations, her ability to mature and learn some of these more adult skills on the fly has been a great character journey to follow.

What do you hope audiences take away from your show?Between the Sea and Sky is a story about family, first and foremost. The discovery of a tragic event that occurred in a town thirty years prior sets my character’s story in motion, but this tragedy is mirrored by her own self-discovery and her relationship with her sister. Even though she begins the show with a big personality and imagination, as any true teenage drama queen would, her understanding of the world deepens as she realizes how what she’s learned from her books and her make-believe adventures can inform her journey. I hope that audiences are reminded of the beauty and fun of imagination through the young eyes of these characters, while also relating to how Sam has to prioritize and step back into reality as she faces real consequences. Also, the music is beautiful!

Tell us about an artist who has had a major impact on your work.
As I’ve spent more time in this business, I’ve been lucky to work with a plethora of people who have shaped my development and the way I approach work. Every person teaches me by example, and I’ve found that to be most helpful for both performing material and behavior in a room. In particular, I have to mention Fiddler on the Roof, where Danny Burstein and Jessica Hecht led the company with grace and empathy. They both have illustrious and diverse careers, thriving in every medium, but their leadership as actors and human beings changed my life. Onstage and off, they were incredible listeners and partners, which applied to literally everyone in the building. They are two of the smartest people I’ve ever met and learning from them has been such a gift.

What do you hope audiences take away from your show?
Emojiland is such an innovative show with a diverse cast of performers. I think the casting pushes beyond stereotypical norms, and challenges the audience to see a variety of colors, sizes, and sexual preferences in new ways. The Princess who holds total power, the confident plus size Prince, The Black Female Police Officer, etc… these roles have a greater depth as we stretch the realm of possibility. I hope audiences walk away with a wider perspective on diversity and a measure of compassion. There are so many (timely) paralleled social & political themes in this show, and I hope it challenges audience members to examine their own beliefs and push closer to a society that practices inclusion and acceptance of people from all walks of life.

What’s something that you think would make it easier for you to pursue your creative goals in the way you want to pursue them?
I think a mentorship program for professional artists would be helpful. I’ve always wanted a more seasoned actress who I could call for advice on the business, wardrobe, referrals—a bridge between a starting place and success. I don’t think we ever outgrow learning or needing assistance from those who have come before us. Having a program that connects theatre artists at all levels to help cultivate the next generation is something that would not only benefit artists individually but would also help in strengthening the theatre community as a whole. In addition, an artist sponsorship program that pairs donors with artists who have shown merit in their career. Being able to maintain a basic living as an artist becomes the difference between a dream dying or thriving. Programs that could help artists maintain a respectable livelihood while in pursuit of their artistic goals would make life much easier.

What do you hope audiences take away from your show?
I hope that audiences leave Emojiland feeling grateful to be alive, and perhaps a little more open-minded. It’s all too easy to make snap judgments based on outward appearances; understanding someone’s true nature takes time and care. In a digital world that seems to continually move faster and faster, I think it’s more important than ever to take a moment to breathe and remember how lucky we are to be alive, surrounded by other beautiful, unique, complex humans.

What about this development process have you found the most useful or the most interesting?Emojiland has been in development for a few years. But it’s not until now that we’ve ever had the opportunity to experience the show fully staged with design elements. Bringing the piece to life in this way has been hugely valuable, and we’ve learned a great deal about the world, the characters, and the tone as a result. Working with our director and dramaturg has helped us refine the storytelling, and streamline for emotional resonance. And as an actor, it’s been a journey of uncovering more of myself within the role. The other night after the show an audience member thanked me for sharing a story about depression, about what it’s like to be the smiliest person in the room who doesn’t feel that way on the inside. That really got to me.

Beyond being located in America, what does the term “American theatre” mean to you?
American theatre is theatre that challenges and asks questions that might not have an easy answer. Cultural and political contexts are ever-evolving and always complicated, and theatre is an incredible way to address those issues, either head-on or allegorically. At its best, American theatre inspires discussion and dissent while keeping audiences engaged and entertained. And just as theatre seeks to reflect the human experience, the emoji alphabet seeks to exist as a colorful distillation of humanity. With Emojiland, we aim to theatricalize that distillation and, in doing so, shed light on what it means to be human, and—because we, as writers, are American—what it means to be American.

What do you hope audiences take away from your show?
Honestly, I hope they get a 90 minute escape from this challenging world, and that they leave the theatre smiling! The show does have a feminist theme, and that’s because I modeled these characters after the strong, amazing women I know and am inspired by.

What about this development process have you found the most useful or the most interesting?
We’ve done smaller versions of this show over the past few years, and this is a story that’s been in my head for much longer than that. But in putting the pieces of the show together, the story has evolved in a new and exciting way. Characters have grown or disappeared or end up in different circumstances. That’s something I didn’t expect to happen, and it’s wonderful to watch this new thing grow on the stage.

Tell us about an artist who has had a major impact on your work.
There are so many! It’s hard to choose. I would say one of my biggest influences and inspirations is Bjork. I love how she doesn’t fit into a box and she seems to go with her gut artistically. Her work is so heartfelt and personal, but she also always seems to be challenging herself creatively. That’s the kind of artist I aspire to be.

Besides being located in America, what does the term “American Theatre” mean to you?The Gunfighter Meets His Match is a lovely example of American Theatre. Albeit that the tale is not packed with some of the harsh reality that the American Old West was, we pay homage to this bit of our country’s history, which I think is cool. It’s good to know where you come from and remember the beginnings of our country. My favorite choreographer and director Pina Bausch once told a friend of mine over coffee to study his country and make a dance about the frontier. So I take great pride in the subject. I myself am from Idaho, one of the few original westerners in the cast. My great grandmother was a sharpshooter herself. She could hit a target using a mirror and shooting behind her. Also, Abby is an American musician. I think her music is the product of her history and the music that surrounds her. Similar to the dance, Jeff Davis and I have danced forever and are very influenced by great American choreographers—Bob Fosse, Jerome Robins, Gene Kelley, Martha Graham, George Balanchine, Jose Limon… the list goes on. I’m proud of what we’ve created, and having collaborated for over 10 years with both Abby and Jeff, I feel it represents our style, much influenced by the abundance of styles and art that we’ve been lucky enough to have been saturated with.

Tell us about an artist who has had a major impact on your work.
Hands down Pina Bausch, of The Dance Therater of Wuppertal. She was the queen of contemporary dance theatre, my second favorite form of dance, closely behind ballet (which is essentially dance theatre as well). She was a brilliant woman who set the bar. The characters she created—well, helped her dancers create—were vulnerable, visceral, and ultimately human, and the scenarios hilarious, sad, and ultimately beautiful.

What do you hope audiences take away from your show?
When the lights come up and the audience starts to trickle out of the theatre, I hope they feel a refreshed sense of gratitude for the love they have in their lives. For the people and places that they get to call home. This show is about so many things, but to me, the core of If Sand Were Stone is the strength that love, both given and received, bestows upon us all. It would also be very cool if audiences leave our show excited by theatre written and created by women. The playwright, composer, director, choreographer, producer, and music director of our show are all women, which means that in our rehearsal room, the vast majority of leadership came from women, which I don’t think is a common enough experience in this industry. If audiences appreciate our show, I would hope that they would also appreciate the team of women that made the show—and if audiences leave our show and actively seek out theatre with women at the helm in the future, that would be super exciting to me.

Tell us about an artist who has had a major impact on your work.
Lear deBessonet, director and founder of Public Works at The Public Theater, has had a profound impact on my work. As a mentor and friend, she has taught me so much about what theatre can do and who theatre can be for—and, spoiler alert: it can do a lot more than it has done and it can be made for people for whom it hasn’t historically been made. Lear approaches theatre with a distinct thoughtfulness, a grace that radiates, a divine strength that gives her work its unique, robust heart. I am inspired by the humanity she brings to the stage, and it is my great hope to follow in her footsteps, to make theatre that thoughtfully, that graciously.

What about this development process have you found the most useful or the most interesting?
Musical theatre is an inherently collaborative art form. Every person on our team worked to make this show the best version of itself. Learning how and when to hand the reigns to someone else has been invaluable. Our music director Ilana Atkins and our orchestrator/arranger Jonathan Bauerfeld made this score better than I could have imagined.

What’s something you think can be done to get different audiences to engage with theatre or get audiences to engage differently?
We need new stories and new voices. Theatre isn’t about repackaging familiar stories in a different medium; it’s about using that medium to tell stories that can’t be told any other way. I have had the privilege to work on some electrifying shows that are being written by my contemporaries, which makes me excited for this generation of artists.

Tell us about an artist who has had a major impact on your work.
Caroline Shaw is a contemporary composer who won the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 2013. Her music scratches the itch in my soul.

What do you hope audiences take away from your show?
Many things, but a few of the important takeaways:
-Thoughtful questions and conversation about how we embody gender and how it influences our connections with other humans in the world.
-Remembering/connecting to our own personal youth ambitions/journeys that allowed us to find ourselves. Also, the role that finding support communities plays in changing lives for the better (and saving lives).
-Recognizing the vital importance of giving actors and designers in the theatre a platform to embody their own life experiences. Interstate’s creative family is made of 95% queer, women and/or people of color.

What about this development process have you found the most useful or the most interesting?
It was invaluable for me to have my first opportunity to stage this musical, even in a workshop format, and learn how it functions in real time. I’d only ever had the chance to put the piece up behind music stands in reading settings, so this leap I was able to take with the support of an amazing cast, design team, and producers was a huge gift. Not to mention the supportive audiences that filled the theatre for every performance generously offering their praise and critical feedback. The chance we had to showcase Interstate in front of an audience multiple times taught us exactly what we need to know to take the piece to the next level. Seeing the emotional connection so many people had to the characters night after night was very exciting and so affirming.

Beyond being located in America, what does the term “American theatre” mean to you?
I really think it depends where you are in this country. I’ve had the fortune of spending time on a US tour playing so many venues, seeing the same show be received in vastly different ways. For me, American Theatre starts critical conversations about what it means to be an American and a citizen of the world. This conversation isn’t always comfortable, but it is hopefully entertaining, and sends us out of the theatre considering ideas from life experiences similar and different from our own. For me, the best American theatre creates community and inclusivity.

What do you hope audiences take away from your show?
I hope audiences take away that no matter who we are as individuals, regardless of race or gender, that we all deserve love. We all deserve to be treated fairly and be supported. This show is for everyone who has ever felt that they didn’t belong in what our society defines as “normal” or for anyone has looked to feel accepted for who they are. It’s a story that reaches far beyond just gender and race.

What about this development process have you found the most useful or the most interesting?
This is the first process where I’ve been surrounded by so many actors and creatives who identify as queer/LGBTQ+/Asian individuals. As someone who identifies as Asian/queer/transgender, 1I feel like my experiences are being represented onstage for the first time in a big way. It’s unprecedented to have this kind of Asian Queer representation onstage. I came onto this project as one of the new members of the team. The experience of creating something together with others for the first time is thrilling and this process certainly pushed and challenged me creatively.

Tell us about an artist who has had a major impact on your work.
The photographer, Gregory Crewdson. His work focuses on small town American homes and neighborhoods captured in stunning and haunting tableaus. A couple lighting moments within Interstate were definitely inspired by some of the colors and starkness of his photography. His photos are meticulous and detailed in their set up. I try to bring the same level of detail and focus in my work.

What do you hope audiences take away from your show?
A deeper understanding and empathy of the harsh realities of being an immigrant in this country. There is a great misconception right now about the tough choices fellow humans have had to make in order to leave behind their home, their country, everything they know—all in hopes for a better life. The lack of understanding creates a disconnect between the human aspect of immigration and policy, which we are seeing with the separation of families at the border. My parents didn’t have a choice as young children when their parents had to make the tough choice to bring them to the U.S. in the 1960s from Cuba. While they were fortunate to be granted political asylum and came to this country legally, it still was not something my family ever thought they would have to do. The harsh realities of life in communist Cuba, then and now, is also something most Americans are not familiar with. By exploring these issues I hope to shed light on the Cuban-American diaspora and to shed light on the immigrant experience as a whole—not just the Latinx immigrant experience.

What about this development process have you found the most useful or the most interesting?
Each year, the growing anti-Latinx and anti-immigrant sentiment has gotten stronger in the U.S. since I started working on this piece in 2013. Our story as a whole has gained a certain weight and urgency that it didn’t have in our first production in 2014. To see a young child being separated from his parents in 2018 is very different than it was four years ago and it has informed our process in ways that we could have never imagined. There’s a line that’s been in the script since Day One that I get asked about, where Roger (a young boy from Mexico) says to Pedro (our young boy from Cuba) as he teaches him about assimilation, “People here don’t like people like us.” Pedro responds, “But I thought America was the land of immigrants?” and Roger says, “It is, but only the kind they like.” That now gets a huge laugh in the audience that it didn’t get four years ago. The pain is real and raw for these children living in fear of being deported or their parents being deported or even just kids that have a Spanish last name or ethnic last name. This is a tough time to be an immigrant in this country and that has made it especially difficult to work on our show at this time.

What’s something you think can be done to get different audiences to engage with theatre or get audiences to engage differently?
Accessibility. I think we as theatre-makers have a responsibility to make theatre more accessible for all regardless of geographical location or socio-economic status. Theatre should be for everyone; it is an intrinsic need that has been around since the beginning of time. Our society, more than ever, needs the human connection that we can achieve through theatre, and I think we really need to find ways to get theatre to folks that don’t have access to it. It’s also very alarming how many arts education programs continue to be slashed every year due to budgets. We need the next generation of theatre-makers to be exposed to theatre at a young age to keep the arts going in our country. These are two of my personal missions as a theatre-maker and I think could greatly impact our society in many ways.

What do you hope audiences take away from your show?I hope audiences realize everything they are seeing really happened—and is still happening. History only repeats itself when we forget to learn from the past.

What about this development process have you found the most useful or the most interesting?Being forced to direct a production that “neatly” fits inside a 4×4 box is such a fun challenge. It forces you to consider what is truly necessary in the storytelling. Don’t make the box bigger, NYMF!

What’s something you think can be done to get different audiences to engage with theatre or to get audiences to engage differently?
I think we need to expand the notion of audience etiquette. I have had to check myself on this idea quite a bit over the years. I used to have a very hard time tolerating any kind of noise or distractions from my fellow audience members. But when I am directing, I love hearing vocal declarations, or even signs of discomfort. It’s a clear sign that I need to pay close attention to a particular moment if people are shifting in their seats. There is a reason why we do theatre and also love going to the theatre—it’s one of the only places left where we gather in a room to hear a story. I want to know what others are feeling. And I know actors love that reciprocal call and response. If we broaden our idea of what an audience is, I believe more people would come to the theatre because they would feel welcome. Bring children, laugh, cry, exclaim, and leave if you feel so compelled. I want theatre to elicit a response and welcome that from others if they are so moved.

What’s something you think can be done to get different audiences to engage with theatre or get audiences to engage differently?
The more we can get kids of all backgrounds going to experience live theatre, the better. But I think we also have to broaden the definition of “theatre,” because not all kinds of preteens are going to be moved by Midsummer or Guys and Dolls. I was already into performing and musicals, but I had the good fortune of reading Equus my freshman year of high school, and was like WHOA, this can happen? Can you imagine if in your formative years you got to see something site-specific, or an up-close performance for an audience of ten in a living room? The more we expose people while young, and the more kinds of experiences people have, the less likely they are to become someone who says “Well, I don’t really like musicals,” and the more likely they are to go see something they haven’t heard of.

What’s something that you think would make it easier for you to pursue your creative goals in the way you want to pursue them?
A gazillion dollars! But seriously, I wish it were more widely understood just how dominating fame and money are in this business. When people watch the Tony Awards, most Americans assume that those are the best actors and the best plays and musicals that our country has to offer. With so little money in the arts, fewer risks are taken on a grand scale, and “safe” choices are made for big-budget projects, like using a small pool of big name actors and playwrights or reviving well-known shows again and again. The result is that scores of new works are competing for a tiny slice of funding and audience attention, and performers are considered based not only on skill but on how much notoriety they can bring to a project. I wish there were a way to redirect some of the enthusiasm for theatre and musical theatre towards the amazing work happening downtown, in the outer boroughs, and even in your hometown, and spread support for the tons of talented performers out there across the USA burning to work who don’t necessarily have the means to pay for and endure all the things required to even attempt to “make it” in NYC. Support your local artists—they’re just as good, if not better, than the “big guys”!

What’s something you think can be done to get different audiences to engage with theatre or get audiences to engage differently?
Theatre is operating on a business model that can’t compete in a modern age. Theatre needs to find a way to embrace the technology of the last ten years, and even start to look forward. Stream Broadway openings live, instead of ONLY the Tony Awards on TV. Have every single new show that opens air on TV the week they open. The exposure won’t hurt the box office at all! More people will show up for opening to be part of a filming, and it will spread brand recognition in a way Broadway desperately needs. Content now is available at the viewers’ demands, and the old theatre model needs to adapt, at least in part. Companies like BroadwayHD and the STAGE Network are just starting to venture into these waters, but everyone needs to jump with both feet.

Beyond being located in America, what does the term “American theatre” mean to you?
It’s hard to exactly to put my finger on it, but to me there is a very specific essence of American Theatre. It is collaboration, it is passion, it is taking a chance, it is community, it is open, it is sometimes gritty, it is exciting, it is sometimes grand, it is both traditional and on the cutting edge, it should be accessible, it’s always evolving, it’s always pushing.

What’s something you think can be done to get different audiences to engage with theatre or get audiences to engage differently?
Coming from the improv comedy world, I’m highly biased, but, in a word, IMPROV! Improv! Improv! Improv! Okay, that was 4 words. Improvisation is a fantastic tool that can be easily employed to create a more unique and immersive theatrical experience that is specifically tailored to each audience. As much as audiences enjoy the scripted word, they LOVE the unscripted moments when things don’t go to plan and the actors have to react and just deal with it! More improvisational moments like these can and should be applied to mainstream theatre—whether it’s actors greeting audience members as they enter the theatre—or inviting a few audience members onto the stage for an exchange during the show. Imagine a play or musical that’s entirely improvised based off of an audience’s suggestions! They are engaged on multiple levels, because they want to see what is going to be created based off of their suggestions and because neither actor nor audience member knows for sure what is going to happen next! Everyone is figuring it out and scripting it in the moment! As a result, no two performances are the same and everyone feels a part of something entirely unique and special!

What’s something that you think would make it easier for you to pursue your creative goals in the way you want to pursue them?
Financial FREEDOOOOOM! Like a lot of theatre artists, I find myself negotiating the work/creative work balance on the regular. I work a day job so that I can make a living and I make my art so that I can make a life worth living! My ultimate dream is to earn enough money through my craft (also not opposed to a lottery win) so that I can dedicate myself to my art 100% of the time so that I don’t have to play the day job game to earn a livable wage and health insurance. Then I would feel free to dedicate ALL of my energy to creating and life would be a DREAM!

What do you hope audiences take away from your show?
I hope audiences take away from our show a sense of humor, foolishness, and delight. I want them to remember what it was like to be a kid, where the only goal in life was to have as much fun as possible and laugh as hard as you can. That’s what our team does every time we come together to rehearse and to perform, and our goal is to extend that sense of play to the audience. I hope that audiences leave our show and continue to live in joy and love despite personal hardships in an ever-changing world. Peter, Who?, is a very funny musical with a simple yet profound message: “We could all use a little hope right now, we could use someone to set us free. When there’s darkness all around, we need a hero to help us see.” I want audiences to walk away from our show thinking that it’s still okay to joke around and to laugh, to hug and to sing, to have fun and to spread love. It’s what we need in our country and in the world now, more than ever.

Tell us about an artist who has had a major impact on your work.
An artist who had a major impact on my work is my childhood director and mentor, Sharon Moran. She ran the community theatre in my hometown, the first place I ever stepped onto a stage. The childhood years I spent at that theatre changed me forever, and without Sharon, I would not be where I am today. Sharon gave me the supportive and imaginative environment I needed to flourish as a creative child. But what she gave me most was this infectious sense of passion. Sharon loved the theatre with her whole heart, and that love spread to everyone she knew, including me, like wildfire. Justin Moran, the writer of our show, Peter, Who?, is Sharon’s son. Life has come full circle, and I’m thrilled to be working with Justin, as he is one of the most brilliant writers and directors I’ve met in my career. Sharon passed away suddenly in 2015, and her loss impacted me deeply. Sharon’s passion still ignites me every time I step onto a stage. Her legacy lives on in both Justin and I as we continue to create, to perform, and to impact the next generation of artists.

What do you hope audiences take away from your show?
When we attempt to write our own narratives onto the bodies and souls of our LGBTQ+ children, we wound them and ourselves in incalculable ways. This reaches deeper than politics, religion, and attitudes towards sexual orientation. Messing with love and authenticity is a crime against nature. Theatre has done good work in illuminating the damage that has fallen on gay people. Sonata 1962 adds an investigation of the damage that rests on those who oppress or reject their gay children. If we shift away from villains and blame, the wounds and the paths to healing become more complicated and difficult, but more possible.

What about this development process have you found the most useful or the most interesting?
The essential fabric in Sonata 1962 is the relationship between the mother and daughter. Conventional wisdom suggests that dramas should track the story of one person’s journey. And we’ve wrestled with that question in our script. Whose story it is? But Katherine [Carter, director] discovered a way to clarify the journey in the story, without losing the focus on both women.

What’s something that you think would make it easier for you to pursue your creative goals in the way you want to pursue them?
Virginia Woolf asserted a woman writer’s need for a room of her own. Theatre makers need a bit more—we need each other, time, space, and audiences that understand the process. Audiences willing to say, “Sure, it’s rough, but we can see the vitality of the story emerging.”

What do you hope audiences take away from your show?
Patricia said it best. When we make choices in the name of love, we are taught that because they are done with good intentions that it makes them right. In Sonata, we see a mother make the best choice for her daughter based on the information she has at the time. She’s not a villain, she is a mother who is doing her best. This story does not let the audience place the blame and go home, it’s not as simple as black and white.

What about this development process have you found the most useful or the most interesting?
The framework of a female story is exciting because it does not center around one point of view. Women tell stories through their relationships with others, and therefore they inherently have multiple viewpoints. As Patricia said, this has been the challenge with Sonata: How can we keep both Margaret and Laura in the center while keep a singular story line? And Patricia gave me a terrific resource on the evolution of the female relationship. LGBTQ+ historian Lillian Faderman’s Odd Girls and Twilight Lovers, I’ve been devouring it. The stories of female companionship have completely reframed how I think about relationships and how I speak about them in our rehearsal room.

What about this development process have you found the most useful or the most interesting?
One of the things that I personally have loved is learning to play the accordion. Since our company is a group of actor/musicians, we perform all the musical accompaniment ourselves. The woman who originated my role played the accordion, so I learned how to play the accordion, and it has been so much fun taking on that challenge and learning to play a new instrument. On a larger scale, one of the joys of working on this process is problem solving with the director and cast. We not only act, sing, and play our own instruments, we’re also manipulating set pieces, props, and puppets throughout the show. It can get a bit wild, but we work so well together that we just have fun figuring out how to get everything done!

Tell us about an artist who has had a major impact on your work.
Since we wear so many hats in our company, there tend to be a lot of people who inspire us. As a writer, I absolutely worship Trey Parker and Matt Stone— I think they’re amazing talents who always play by their own rules, write hilarious material, and truly love great musicals. And of course I think Lin-Manuel Miranda is one of the greatest geniuses of our age. As an actor playing an evil enchantress, I’m pulling from a lot of inspiring people. There’s some Cate Blanchett as Galadriel in Lord of the Rings, a little Bette Mildler from Hocus Pocus, some Nicole Kidman as Satine in Moulin Rouge, and of course, my forever love, Cersei Lannister from Game of Thrones, played by the amazing Lena Headey. It is so much fun to be inspired by powerful, talented women, and get a chance to play a powerhouse character like the Enchantress in What’s Your Wish?

What do you hope audiences take away from your show?
I hope that the people who come to this show that might not think they enjoy musical theatre leave questioning their assumptions about what a musical can be. As a company, one of Thicket & Thistle’s main goals is to “surprise & delight, to enchant & enlighten.” I think that the show fully accomplishes that goal. More than anything, I hope that audiences leave with a smile of their faces. I hope they’re enthralled by all of the theatre magic and that the show opens up their imaginations to re-experience a childlike sense of wonder!

What’s something that you think would make it easier for you to pursue your creative goals in the way you want to pursue them?
Besides unlimited money? Reliable rehearsal or performance space and exposure! These things have always been the main obstacles for us. That being said, we are lucky to have a lot of people rooting for us—we’re residents at Access Theater, and Loading Dock Theater Company has been very kind to lend us their space on more than one occasion. If we had a space to continually workshop our shows it would be so helpful and would relieve so much stress so we can focus on the work instead of worrying about fundraising.

What about this development process have you found the most useful or the most interesting?What’s Your Wish? was developed through a highly collaborative process, which is how Thicket & Thistle works. I don’t personally identify as a writer, but there’s a larger discussion that happens to develop the storyline, the characters, the musical arrangements, and so on. It really stretches my creative mind to think about the why and how of a piece instead of simply learning my lines because I’m an actor. Also, being involved with the development of an original show means there are pieces of myself that have ended up in the script or the score just from working inside of this story for years. The result is that I’m far more emotionally attached to this project than any other show I’ve ever worked on.

What’s something that you think would make it easier for you to pursue your creative goals in the way you want to pursue them?
Money! It’s a lame answer but it’s very true. I think a good friend of mine put it best when she said we never realized when we were younger that working on theatre as an adult would involve so much business! I spend just as much time working on grant applications and finding funding or performance opportunities as I do actually working on the art. Being part of a small, young theatre company means we all have to wear many different hats. I look forward to the day that our company grows up enough to hire people that specialize on the business side, although I do appreciate the necessity of doing the work so that I better understand all the aspects involved in creating theatre.